Gopal Sharma
While the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has invited fresh controversy by claiming that Tawi Artificial Lake Project is not feasible without explaining any solid reason behind, the
Technical experts in the field have dismissed the claim of the Chief Minister, stating that this project is 100 % technically, economically and environmentally viable. They claimed that the project was conceived and cleared after studying all the parameters and performing all the requisite formalities involving several agencies and there was no reason to abandon it.
They are of the opinion that Central Water Commission is the highest authority in the country on the subject and this prestigious project was given green nod and provided funding only after the high powered technical committee of the Commission visited the site and examined all the necessary parameters. There should have sufficient solid reason or logic behind to describe Tawi Lake project non-feasible, they remarked.
The prestigious artificial lake project worth Rs 70 crore on river Tawi in the winter capital city was basically conceived with the idea to recharge ground water as many tube wells in this Kandi belt are getting dry with the depleting water table. The lake would also provide irrigation water to some areas of Chatha, Tawi island villages and Miran Sahib, through an old channel lying defunct. It was constructed during Maharaja’s time but due to lack of care it turned defunct. It was revived after 125 years, with the initiative of the then PHE, I&FC Minister Taj Mohiuddin. With the enhanced irrigation facilities after getting 700 to 800 cusecs of water, the economic condition of the farmers of this belt will also improve. Majority of the people of this belt grow vegetables and it will improve their production and raise economic condition.
The artificial lake created on river Tawi with greenery/ parks along both the banks and an island park, will ultimately attract lakhs of pilgrim tourists coming to Mata Vaishnodevi, Shri Budha Amarnath and Shri Amarnathji Yatra. The people will enjoy the boating ride in the lake. Moreover, Jammuites will enjoy cool breeze along the river banks during hot summer months. The lake will definitely decrease the temperature of the surrounding localities during hot summer months. Since, the pondage will be part of run of river scheme, there is no environmental threat to the lake from city nallahs which are being diverted through side channels by UEED, down stream about 300 mt down the gated structures.
The experts including about half a dozen retired and serving Chief Engineers pointed out that there is no logic to suspend a project after 90 % work is performed on it. The funds to the tune of about Rs 54.68 crore have been utilized out of total Rs 70 crore. This huge public money can not be allowed to go down the drain without any justified reason. The funding to the project has been provided by three sources including 13th Finance Commission, whose share was Rs 25 crore. State Government’s share was Rs 20 crore while Rs 25 crore was provided by the Union Ministry of Water Resources.
All the eleven gated-structures along Waddi Tawi (Bhagwati Nagar side) of the river have been completed, out of the total 20 such gated structures on Nikki Tawi (Beli Charana) side, 19 are ready while one pier got tilted during September 2014 floods. The Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (J&K), is monitoring the entire work on the project, including the construction of auto-mechanically operated gated-barrage having length of 370 mts and height of 4 mts with sluice gates across river Tawi, 900 meters down stream of the main Tawi bridge with RCC base, spill way, gang way, guide bunds etc for creation of pondage up to Gujjar Nagar bridge, is being executed by Hyderabad based M/S GVR Infra Project Ltd company.
Due to slow flow of funds during 2013-2014, the pace of work on the project had gone slow. The executing agency also carried on the work at snails pace while it was earlier being executed on double shift basis. There was also delay in handing over the land to the Tourism department on the left bank of river Tawi, for carrying on further works of beautification/raising park despite the fact that sufficient funds worth Rs 5.5 crore were kept at the disposal of Tourism department to complete the project.
Chief Engineer (Retd) Virender Badyal who also remained associated with the project told the Excelsior that a project which is approved by Central Water Commission of India, the highest authority on such decisions in the country, after examining all the parameters by its technical committee, can not be non-feasible. He said IIT Delhi has approved the design of the project and several top engineers of the Irrigation and Flood Control department were connected with it. They all have studied all the technical, economical and environmental viability of the Tawi Lake project. Passing such remarks amounts to undermining their capability and integrity.
On the issue of people’s apprehensions regarding accumulation of dirty water from nallahs of the Jammu city in the proposed lake, creating water pollution, the retired Chief Engineer said for this water channels on both sides are being created to tap dirty water from the city nallahs through big pipes. UEED has already submitted a project worth over Rs 35 crore to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban development. Badyal pointed out that to stop direct flow of drain water from the city nallahs, big pipes are being laid from Gujjar Nagar and Jogi Gate Cremation Ground side along right bank of river Tawi. It is being extended nearly 2 kms down stream to dispose off the dirty city water. Similarly, from Gorakh Nagar and Bahu Fort side another channel will go along the left bank carrying drain water. Therefore, there is no possibility of water pollution in the lake.
“If the intensions are not clear, there are so many reasons to derail a project but in this case there seems to be no reason to abandon this important project at this stage when hardly 10 percent of the work is left. The project is hundred percent viable,” Mr Badyal maintained
All the gated structures are ready to be dropped down through pulleys. One tilted pier on Nikki Tawi is to be dismantled. It is excepted that project will be ready by December 2015, provided funding continued. During last two years, due to slow pace of funding the project was delayed.
Another retired Chief Engineer (Hyd), B R Dogra opined that for the commencement of any project all the pros and cons, economic and technical viabilities are studied and examined by the team of experts in the field. Even the consultancies are engaged by the Government agencies for the success and viability of the project. In case of Tawi lake project also, all these parameters were take care of.
While disagreeing on the remarks of Mufti Sayeed that Tawi lake project is not feasible, Mr Dogra said he was Chief Engineer I&FC (incharge project) when the design was approved. A team led by an IIT Delhi Professor was engaged for the design. The team of experts from Central Water Commission visited and was satisfied with all the parameters and Rs 50 crore funding was approved by the Union Ministry only after they were satisfied. The public money is involved in the project and already huge funds have been consumed on it.
Mr Dogra said Indus Water Commissioner from Pakistan along with his team visited the proposed lake site. Earlier, they had some objections. After they were satisfied that there was no violation of the Treaty between both the countries, they also gave `no objection’ to the State Government on the said project. Moreover, this lake will be on run of the river pattern. The lake will be generated within three days. During rainy season between July, August and September the gates will remain open. During flood time, at least 6- hour advance warning will be issued when flood water reaches Chenani. By then alert can be sounded to release the water in Jammu areas. Moreover, this lake will be a great tourist attraction and will add to the beauty of city of temples. Beautiful parks are being developed around the lake by the Tourism department and funds to the tune of over Rs 5.5 crore have been earmarked for it.
A serving senior engineer of the I&FC department disclosed that all the eleven gated structures on Baddi Tawi side, having total length of barrage nearly 130 mts and 20 piers on other side (Nikki Tawi), have been completed. The length of barrage on the Nikki Tawi side is more, about 240 mts. There are twenty such gates with dimensions of 10 mts width and 4 mts height each. Total length of barrage/ lake will be 1540 mts, up to Gujjar Nagar bridge while the pondage of nearly 0.0011 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water will be created. In case of flood, all the gates will be opened and it will take three and half days to again create pondage up to 4 mts height.
The process of mechanical works which include, fitting of gates and its operation system with pulleys etc on one side has been started. The gates are being fabricated at the site and they will be operated upon manually as well as automatically. Most of these gates are ready. The work of launching of gates is being started soon on Baddi Tawi side. He claimed that nearly two to three months time is required for completion of mechanical works. He said that if funding continued, the work will be completed by December this year or maximum March 2016.
This Rs 70 crore project is coming up with Rs 25 crore Central assistance, Rs 25 crore is awarded by the 13th Finance Commission while rest, Rs 20 crore have been arranged from the State Planning department. The work on the project was started on July 22, 2010 the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Minister for PHE, I&FC Taj Mohiuddin had laid the foundation stone jointly. Till date, funds to the tune of Rs 57.35 crore stand released on the project. Initially two years time was given for the completion but one year was consumed on drawing, design and consultancy task. The actual work was started on the project only after May 2011. During 2013-14 the work on the project was slowed down due to lack of interest shown by the some vested interests on the project.
When asked that some big drains/nallahs of the city are still directly pouring into the river and create pollution in the lake in future, the top engineer said, “We have requested the UEED and the Housing and Urban Development Department to divert these `nallahas’ to the proposed sewerage plant near Bhagwati Nagar. The UEED authorities have assured us to complete this task before the commissioning of the lake. The State Tourism department is creating beautiful park to attract tourists and other city people to this spot. The lake will also cause impact on the surrounding temperature during summers,” he added.
For the protection of 4th bridge on river Tawi which is hardly 100 mts down ward the concrete structure (bund), entire riverbed base near 4th Tawi bridge about 30 mts in width, has been made concrete and a slanted structure on the river bed near bridge (upward side) has been raised so as to slow down the flow of flood water and weaken the currents so as to protect the base and pillars of bridge. Sluice gates will be used to allow discharge of dirty water and flush out silt etc and in case of rains and flood, all the gates will be opened.
According to Chief Engineer K K Gupta and V K Abrol, retired Chief Engineer, this project is hundred percent viable and there is no technical reason to say that it is non-feasible. They hoped that remaining 10 percent work on it would be completed in next two-three months. They said only coming time will tell the importance of this project for the people of this region.
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